Unexpected
by BuffyPikeBike
Summary: Dani and Cole come together unexpectedly in the wake of personal tragedy ... A slightly AU, futuristic Dani and Cole story. Happy reading!


**Unexpected**

_**A Dani and Cole story. Cole has just gotten out of prison after 6 years and is coming back to Llanview to find out that a helluva lot has changed since he went to Statesville. Meanwhile, Dani is mourning her own loss. What happens when these two lost souls unexpectedly find themselves thrown together? Please note: The GH crap never happened. Starr is with James, for better or worse. This is rated M for future content.**_

**Chapter One**

No one had known he was getting out today because he had not been sure it would actually happen and didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, least of all his own. Not until the guard at Statesville had handed over his personal effects and an envelope with two hundred dollars stuffed inside it, did he start to believe it was really true, that it was really happening. It was only when he was standing at the bus stop outside the prison that he felt a sense of relief wash over him. He was sure he had at least five or six bruises from pinching himself so hard, so many times just to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. Because he had dreamt of this moment of freedom so many, many times.

Now here he was after six years on the inside, standing on the doorstep of LaBoualie, knowing things had changed but not realizing quite how much. His heart was in his hand though. He was ready to do anything it took to get his family back.

He raised his hand to knock and prayed that it would be Starr or Hope who opened the door. He wasn't ready to face Starr's father or her mother. He just wanted to see his family. More than anything in the whole world.

He knocked and there was no reply at first. He got a bit anxious thinking they weren't here until he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. He waited for what seemed like hours before it finally opened and She was standing there. His Starr. Thank god, it was her.

Her turquoise eyes went wide upon seeing him. "Cole, ohmigod! What are you doing here?" She asked in surprise.

"Don't worry I didn't escape. My parole hearing came up and they let me out, Starr. Four years earlier than planned but still too long for my liking," he answered. "Don't just stand there. Can I have a hug?"

Starr nodded and reached for him, pulling him in a tight embrace. "Of course… I can't believe you're really home."

"Me either," he said and noted the tears in her eyes that matched his own. "I fought to get back to you and Hope…"

She nodded and pulled away, dashing at a tear that rolled down her cheek. "I bet Hope's going to be so happy to see you."

"I hope that's true. I know she hasn't seen me for years when there wasn't a big Plexiglas wall between us." He hated that Hope had ever had to see him that way. It still burned him up inside that he couldn't be the father she had needed all this time. Well, that would change, he vowed to himself silently. He was going to be the father Hope needed and the man Starr deserved too.

"So where is she?" Cole asked, looking around for his little sweetheart who wasn't nearly so tiny anymore. He had seen her two weeks ago at the prison and she was growing like a weed, looking more and more like her mother every day.

Starr bit her lip. "James is picking her up from dance class. She should be here any minute."

"James?" Cole said. "You and he are still…"

"Yeah, we are," Starr said. "But you knew that already."

"I know. I guess I was just hoping it wasn't that serious," Cole said. "Is it … Do you love him?"

"Cole!" Starr chided him. "You shouldn't ask me that."

"Just answer the question," Cole said. "Do you love James Ford?"

"I would be interested to hear the answer to that myself," a surly voice suddenly said behind them. Cole and Starr turned to see James walking into the mansion, holding Hope's hand. "What's he doing here?"

"He got out of prison today," Starr answered.

Cole shook his head at James. He wanted to throttle the guy but his eyes then moved to his little girl. She wasn't little anymore of course but she'd always be his little angel. "Hope," he said, tears misting his eyes. "I'm home, sweetheart."

Hope nodded. "Hello," she said and slowly, too slowly, closed the distance between them. Cole immediately slid an arm around her and hugged her tightly as he dared.

"I missed you, sweetheart," Cole told her. "I missed you so much but I swear I am going to make up for all of that lost time."

He was disappointed when Hope suddenly pulled away. "I'm going to go change into my normal clothes," she said, gesturing to her pink tutu and leggings. She then hurried up the stairs before he could stop her.

Cole looked at Starr. James now had his arm looped possessively around Starr's tiny waist and Cole fumed. "She didn't seem all that thrilled to see me," Cole said.

"No she didn't," James piped up.

Cole went to hit James for that comment and for having the audacity to try and steal his family but Starr quickly jumped between them. "Don't, Cole. You just got out. Do you want to go back to prison already?"

Cole relaxed his balled fist. "Starr, can we talk alone?" he said, overemphasizing the last word.

"Yeah, sure," Starr said and looked at James apologetically. "We'll just be in the study."

Cole followed her into the study and pointedly slammed the door after them. After giving James a dirty look of course. He then turned to stare at Starr. "Aren't you glad I'm home?" he asked.

"Of course I am, Cole," Starr replied. "I am thrilled you're not in prison anymore but –"

"But?"

"James and Hope and I have been trying so hard to make a life together these past few years and –"

Cole held up a hand. He was getting the full picture here, in Technicolor, and it was painful as hell. "You don't want me involved in it do you?"

"I did not say that! It's just –"

"I guess me getting out upsets your perfect little life, huh?" Cole snapped.

"Cole, as happy as I am you're home, you know that James and I have been involved for years now. You knew we were making a life together. That can't all change now because you're out of prison."

Cole sighed and approached her slowly, reaching for her hand. "It can change… If you want it to. You and me and our daughter can finally have the life we should have had all along."

"No, Cole, we can't. I won't keep you from Hope but as for me and you –"She broke off a moment as she brushed at her teary eyes. "Well there is no me and you."

He felt gut-punched. Of course he had considered that Starr wouldn't welcome him back with open arms after all this time but he had assumed there would be a chance to get back in her good graces. She was acting like she didn't want that at all.

"Starr, I suffered for six years … For six years I had to see you and our daughter behind a glass partition … Can't you say there's at least a chance for me to make things right with us?"

"I wish I could but while some part of me will always love you, James is my future now… I'm – I'm sorry," she cried.

Cole wanted to slam his fist into the wall but resisted by sheer force of will. "So that's it huh?"

"I never gave you false promises, Cole. You even told me to move on with my life and that's what I did."

"I know," he admitted but there was a large part that deluded himself into believing that James was a passing fancy in Starr's life. Someone to be with in the interim until Cole returned. It was that belief that had been the only thing that kept him sane inside the brutal walls of Statesville prison.

"I gotta go. I'll call Hope soon," Cole said, feeling pathetic tears threatening to fall. He turned around and walked out even as Starr called after him. He didn't want to leave but he wasn't going to fall apart in front of Starr and his child.

XoXoXo

Cole stalked out of the house and was just stepping onto the path leading away from the property when he noticed a nearly sobbing Dani Rayburn-Manning come hurrying up the walk. She was a bit older in appearance but it was definitely her. She didn't appear to see him coming and though he tried to jump aside before making impact, she still collided with him anyway. Her purse tumbled to the ground and everything spilled out. She looked up at him then as if in a daze. He wanted to get the hell out of there but she had noticed him for sure now. "Cole, Cole Thornhart?" she asked.

He nodded as he started picking up all of the stuff that had dropped out of her purse. She crouched down beside him and accepted the miscellaneous items into her hand.

"Yeah, it's me. In the flesh. Don't worry. I didn't break out of prison or anything. I got released this morning."

"Ohmigod… well that's great."

"Yeah …"

Dani studied him with her misty, almond-shaped eyes. "You look really upset."

"I could say the same about you," he said for the tears on her cheeks were unmistakable.

"It's a long story…"

"Yeah, so is mine," Cole said.

"Well uh, welcome home," Dani said and gave him a brief hug. They had never really done that before – hell, they had barely ever said had two words to say to each other – but in that moment, Cole welcomed the warmth of her body pressed to his. He would do almost anything to ward of the chill that was constantly surrounding him but she was already pulling away.

"Thanks." He then straightened to his full height as she did the same. "I have to go," he said.

"Yeah … Well, um, take care."

"You too," he said and then hurried past her, headed for … God, he had no clue where…

TBC


End file.
